Page 15 of Illicit Games

I hate that every premonition I had about their relationship and the events leading up to this point came true in the worst way possible.

It seems our father has succeeded in teaching him to play underhanded cards.

I’m no longer proud of my brother. I pity the manipulative man he’s become.

“He’s waiting for you upstairs,” the receptionist says after hanging up. Standing up, she rounds the desk. “If you’d please come with me, I will show you to his office.”

A few minutes later, I’m standing outside his door. The privacy shutters are drawn in his office. Without knocking, I step inside.

“What a surprise, big brother,” Nathan taunts from behind his desk as soon as the door swings shut behind me. “I’ve seen you more this week than in the last eighteen years.”

“I’ve tried several times reaching out to you,” I point out, strolling in and surveying his office. All his degrees from prestigious universities are proudly displayed. Every man in the family has the same. Well, except for me.

“Is that what this is? Another attempt?” He quirks a brow and flicks his chin toward the door. “You may as well show yourself out.”

The glint in his eye tells me he’s well aware I’m not here for reconciliation.

His actions eviscerated those chances.

Making my sunny girl break down into tears is one thing I will never tolerate—a punishable offense of the worst degree.

I stop before his desk, looking him square in the eyes. He stays leaning back against his chair, foolishly believing he has the upper hand. “Call off the wedding, Nathan.”

“I’m sensing an ‘or’ here.”

“OrI will destroy everything you hold dear.”

He leans forward, steepling his hands. “How exactly will you accomplish that?”

“The will.” His face pales. “The girl must be in her early twenties. She must come from a middle-class family with no connection to a high-class society. Must be financially independent and hold family values.”

Nathan remains stoic, shoulders bunched tight as I recite the clause from our late grandfather’s will that was read four years ago. As soon as I learned about it, I instantly recognized it as my dadu’s attempt to rectify the errors of the past.

“The son who marries first as per the above clause will inherit the Singhania Sons’ legacy and receive his inheritance worth a hundred million dollars,” I finish, regarding a silently seething Nathan. “I’ve always known about the will, Nathan.”

He recovers fast. “Who told you?”

“I have my resources.”

“Is that why you seduced my fiancée?”

I rein in my temper, and say lowly, “Iris is a pawn to you. One you fed some bullshit story to manipulate into marrying you. To me, she’s a queen. Worth more than some company or money. And I’m willing to kill anyone who means her harm, including you. I’m giving you one chance to fix your mistake before I take matters into my own hands.”

“Fix by serving her on a silver platter to you?” he taunts. “I’m not that stupid.”

“I just told you I’m not interested in what the stupid will has to offer,” I grumble. “You’re also forgetting one crucial detail. The marriage has to be real. It gets out that you’re both faking it, you’ll get nothing.”

“No one will take your word for it,” he retorts arrogantly. “And Iris will never admit it to the public. Coming from anyone else, it will be a rumor to sabotage our relationship.”

“What makes you so sure Iris won’t come forward?”

“It’s not her that I’m sure about, it’s you.”

“Me?”

“A king will never let his queen’s reputation be tarnished,” he says quietly, making me go rigid. “The minute she declares she was pretending to be my girlfriend, that’s what will happen. And when they hear she jumped straight into bed with you, well, I don’t need to tell you what nam—”

“Don’t finish that sentence,” I threaten, seething.